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On Kilimanjaro, around 500 firefighters and helpers are fighting the fires at an altitude of almost 3,000 meters. Since the morning they have been assisted by a helicopter from the air.
“We will use the helicopter to identify vulnerable areas from the air and to be able to intervene quickly if the fire spreads to these regions,” said Tanzania’s national parks authority Tanapa. The llamas would have moved to the eastern part of the mountain range and migrated to the Rombo district.
Fanned by strong winds, the fire destroyed the heather and moorland. According to the observations of local residents, the flames are now moving downhill as well, into the rainforest below.
Tanapa posted photos showing damage. In one of the images, a large roll of smoke hung over the mountain.
According to the national park administration, the fire broke out Sunday night. The cause is still unknown.
The tree line on the mountain has been shifting down for years
The last time there was a fire on Kilimanjaro was in October 2016. Bayreuth biologist Andreas Hemp, who has been researching changes in Kilimanjaro’s sensitive biotope for more than three decades, has observed an increase in fires in the range. .
Along with the melting of the summit glaciers, he attributes it to climate change, among other things. “It is typical of the mountainous landscape of East Africa that the heather areas exist as a link between the rainforest and the rocky mountain area,” he said.
This has an impact on the water balance of the mountain, as heather plants with their leaves can trap moisture from the mist and feed it to the groundwater.
“But they have the property that they burn very easily, and if there is a fire, it can hardly be put out,” said biologist Hemp. His research has shown that the tree line on Kilimanjaro has moved about 800 meters since 1976.
The ascent is still possible, through detours.
In normal times, Kilimanjaro is climbed by tens of thousands of mountaineers from around the world each year. Due to Corona restrictions, tourism is currently on the ground.
However, mountaineers in the range are still on their way to the summit, confirmed Tanapa spokesman Pascal Shelutete. They would be guided by safe routes.
